In addition to The Hot Rock and The Pink Panther, I would say Kelly's Heroes, The Black Bird, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, the original Fun with Dick and Jane, How to Beat the High Cost of Living, Rough Cut, and Topkapi.
The Three Amigos is good.. if you don't already have it, its fun Mexican party music fiesta style, there is also some dialogues to which is good. Elmer done well here.
Can I start and say: something like Delerue´s wonderful "Her Alibi".
Can you recommend something similar?
We've all forgotten some of the imortant soundtrack classics in this category !
For example: THE NAKED GUN - filmscore trilogy by composer Ira Newborn ! I can only recommand the LaLaLand-Records 3-CD-set with all this music. Also the LLL-2CD-set of IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD by Ernest Gold and the LLL-score-CD of Robert Folk's POLICE ACADEMY. I wish we get some day more music from Robert Folk's POLICE ACADEMY scores.
And I hope that LaLaLand-Records will also release some day Dave Grusin's MURDER BY DEATH !
One other forgotten classic from the 80s is A FISH CALLED WANDA(1988) by John Du Perez. Exist to this film unreleased music ? Then we need next year a 30th anniversary edition !
And then the perfect by INTRADA Records presented score of HOW TO STEAL A MILLION(1966) by John Williams and THROW MOMMA FROM THE TRAIN(1987) by Dave Newman.
Likewise, we must not forget THE STING(1973) Scott Joplin adapted by Marvin Hamlisch(Academy Award!).
My personal 10 favorites for this moment are: 1 - The PINK PANTHER scores (1963+64+75+76+78+82+83+93) by Henry Mancini 2 - THE NAKED GUN scores (1988+91+94) by Ira Newborn 3 - MURDER BY DEATH (1976) by Dave Grusin 4 - JO (1971) by Raymond Lafèvre (it's still aviable from SAE for only $12,95 !!!) 5 - IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD (1963) by Ernest Gold 6 - A FISH CALLED WANDA (1988) by John Du Perez 7 - The POLICE ACADEMY scores (1984-89 + 94) by Robert Folk 8 - THROW THE MOMMA FROM THE TRAIN (1987) by Dave Newman 9 - HOW TO STEAL A MILLION (1966) by John Williams 10 - THE STING (1973) by Marvin Hamlish
I am sure that if we think about it long enough, we will find many more scores. It is also a question of the exact demarcation to other film/score genres. Where comedy beginns in connection with crime and where does it end ? For example the 1979 film THE FIRST GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY, score by Jerry Goldsmith. This film has Heist elements, that can be viewed as comedic, this is also reflected in Goldsmith's music for the film. Can this film and the soundtrack also fall in the requested category ?
And there are still more factors to consider. Are you also interested in spy/comedy movie scores ? This greatly expands the scope of possible interesting scores.
Are you interested in very old films with old crime/comedy scores ? For example the classic films ARSENIC AND OLD LACE(1944) or THE LADYKILLERS(1955). Both scores are avaiable on CD, but the old music also affects your tast of music ? This is far from the style of Georges Delerue. I Herad the music of HER ALIBI just 4 or 5 weeks ago; realy a good score from Delerue. But what elements of this music did you particuly like ? What elements are you looking for in other crime/comedy soundtracks ? Each composer has his own approach to such a film theme/genre. Also every music fan.
There are also films, which were formerly rather bizarrely taken from the subject of crime, but today we can not absorb a certain comedic potential. For example the films: THEATER OF BLOOD(1973/excellent CD release from LaLaLand-Records) by Michael J. Lewis, or the films THE ABOMINABLE DR.PHIBES(1971) and the sequel DR.PHIBES RISES AGAIN(1972).
Last but not least we want not forget a lot of TV soundtracks: THE GREEN HORNET(1966-67), BATMAN(1966-68), GET SMART(1965-70), RAMINGTON STEELE(1982-87 / Theme by Henry Mancini !), MOONLIGHTING(1985-89) or SLEDGE HAMMER(1986-88 / Theme by Danny Elfman!), etc.
Your simple question concerns a broad thematic field, so you have to set the boundaries of your interest.
Let us know, what ist your opinion about all this soundtracks and which of these scores you want finally select for your soundtrack collection.
TOPKAPI by Manos Hadjidakis is one of the all time great comedy crime caper movies and scores. Fortunately, Kritzerland has released a nice CD of this.
My other favorite comedy crime is GAMBIT by Maurice Jarre. This is a really fun movie with charming performances by Shirley MacLaine and Michael Caine. Great Jarre score which is completely unavailable as far as I know. It doesn't even appear on the French "Le cinéma de Maurice Jarre" 4 CD set.
Looks like Gambit was released on the Decca label on a 45 rpm single in 1966. Performed by Sammy Kaye. This info courtesy of www.discogs.com.
It's available to listen to on YouTube. I just typed in Gambit and Sammy Kaye, and somebody plays their vinyl. It's not the best sound, but you get an idea of the theme. Jarre's version was more than likely more listenable.
Try The Hot Potato by Guy Farley. It's set in England in the sixties and was largely inspired by John Barry. It sounds a lot like The Knack Farley really nails that Barry sixties vibe.
Try The Hot Potato by Guy Farley. It's set in England in the sixties and was largely inspired by John Barry. It sounds a lot like The Knack Farley really nails that Barry sixties vibe.
